We interrupt this snow...

At one point in late February I looked at the calendar and realized that between snow days and holidays the kids had only been in school for six days the entire month. No wonder we were all so grouchy. Then the first week of March we went to south Florida.

We flew into Fort Lauderdale and the first two nights we stayed on a boat in this marina.

We swam at the marina pool.

http://marinabay-fl.com/

 We went to this beach.

Then we drove to the Everglades. We rented bikes at Shark Valley.

We looked at alligators and birds.

The next day we went to Sanibel Island. We collected shells and visited the wildlife refuge.

www.floridasummers.com/

After two nights we drove back through the Everglades, stopping to take an afternoon canoe ride through the mangroves.

We spent the last two nights near Key Largo. We visited a coral reef. We swam. We saw a goliath grouper, sting rays, and dolphins. We had Key lime pie on a dock.

www.underwaterjournal.com

On the last day we kayaked around a state park in Miami before heading back to the Fort Lauderdale airport.

The trip was just what we all had needed. The moment we hit that 75 degree sunshine, everyone's mood skyrocketed. There was a little anxiety from the kids  - chirps, squeaks, whistles and screeches from one, even more nonstop jibber-jabber from the other - but not enough to stop them from having a great time. The pouting, complaining and yelling that had been going on all of February almost completely stopped. But the biggest difference in mood was with ME. The last few weeks I had been - how do I put this nicely - an impatient, sarcastic &#%@, but in Florida I was back to being the patient and compassionate mother that I want to be all winter long.

Now we're back in Pennsylvania. It's cold, but the good moods remain. Crocuses and tulips are starting to come up in our yard. Soon it will be spring.

One more look at that water before I go.

Update on preparations

We leave for Ethiopia in about five weeks. Here is the update on our preparations:

- Ethiopian visas: Fed Ex should deliver tomorrow.

- UAE visas: The UAE consulate says we don't need them. All my Saudi and Kuwaiti students who have flown through the UAE agree.

- Shots and other vaccinations: Mostly done for A. He gets one more shot later this month and we'll fill his prescriptions right before we go. My vaccinations are still good from the last trip, and I still have some unexpired prescriptions.

- Accommodation in Addis Ababa: We are staying at a guest house near the university. Many guesthouses are in the Bole area and I remember there being many ferenji in the area and as a result, many aggressive peddlers. The university area is much quieter, while giving easy access to restaurants, shopping and museums.

- Driver to take us south
- Interpreter
This is where things get a little vaguer. My new Burjii friend in Colorado has asked his brother in Ethiopia to drive and interpret for us. He is 100% sure his brother can do it. I have exchanged some brief messages with the brother, who says he is ready for anything. So while my American side is screaming out for dates, times, names, places, prices and reservations, I am trying to breathe and relax and trust that we are in good hands. I have lived or spent time in eight different African countries. I know that it is not only culturally appropriate to start a journey relying heavily on faith, it is also more realistic. Sure, everyone can promise me that a specific car will deliver me to a specific hotel at a specific time on a specific day for a specific price, but why make a promise that will probably be broken? Better for me to trust that these are good, kind people who are looking out for my child because he is Burjii, and somehow, insha'Allah, it will all work out.

- Accommodation in the south: Rumor has it there is a hotel in Hagere Mariam, near the edge of Burjii.

- Tell family we are coming: Done, both through Colorado's brother and an Amharic-speaking friend on our end.

- Try to prepare family with realistic expectations (A no longer speaks Burjii etc.): This was good advice, but I don't think it's going to happen.

- Photo albums for family
- Videos of D to show family
- Gifts/donations
I will work on these when we return from Florida.

- Prepare A emotionally: We are talking about our trip a lot, but I don't think he understands the reality of it yet. He gets sad when a Burjii person tries to speak Burjii to him and he doesn't understand.

- Prepare D for our absence: Often D gets so stuck on what he doesn't have that he can't appreciate what he has. We told him we are going to Florida and he mostly wanted to know why we aren't going to California. The trip to Ethiopia has been different. I don't know why my child has chosen this moment to focus on the positive, but I am so grateful he has. My mother will come down while we are gone and he is unequivocally excited to have yiayia all to himself.

- One last preparation that I hadn't planned on: Colorado is teaching me some words in Burjii!

I am so excited about our trip!!!